To Heal a Heart

Chapter 7

Kristi was too physically tired and emotionally drained to cry even a single tear over Mr. Radley's death. She felt sadness over the loss of such a dear friend, but she was not prepared to deal with it. It seemed to her that bad things were being thrown at her from every direction. She did not know how much more she could possibly take.

She left the hospital in Dr. Gage's carriage. She blocked out her surroundings, not feeling the movement of the carriage, or hearing the sounds of the traffic in the street.

When they arrived at Dr. Gage's home, she entered the house and climbed the stairs to her room instinctively.

Only once she was standing in the middle of her room did the trance-like state rescind. Her head began to ache and she reached a hand up to press her fingers to her temples.

As she raised her hand, she saw the smears of both dirt and soot staining its surface. All of a sudden, she became aware of how truly dirty she felt. She went to her dressing room and looked in the mirror. She was an absolute disaster. Her face and hair were smudged and dusty and her only black dress was completely ruined, the stains showing up even on the dark fabric, and the jagged rip from mid-length to the skirt's hem.

She began to undo the dress' buttons, not wanting to spend another moment in the filthy garment.Halfway through unfastening, she heard a knock on the bedroom door. She exited the dressing room and answered the door, holding the opened bodice closed with one hand.

Iris stood there, two kettles of steaming water in her hands. She didn't speak, which Kristi was thankful for, but put the kettles in the dressing room.

Kristi followed and Iris swiftly helped her undress before leaving again.

A small wash tub had been placed in Kristi's dressing room, and Kristi was thankful again for the thoughtfulness of the house staff, knowing that she would not be up to running a tub and soaking in the water closet tub on the second floor. She wasted no time in putting the tub to use, scrubbing her hair and every inch of her body until the grimy feeling was gone.

Iris had laid out Kristi's softest night gown and Kristi pulled it over her head, barely waiting until it had settled on her before climbing under the covers of her bed.

She prayed that she would not relieve this terrible day in her dreams.

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The next morning, Kristi went to the hospital again, not for a shift this time, but to see Mr. Radley's body before they prepared him for burial. The hospital morgue was one of the places Kristi had never felt comfortable in, so she kept her good byes brief.

She would miss Mr. Radley terribly, he'd always been a ray of sunshine in the hospital, his positive attitude bringing cheer to everyone in his wing of the hospital. Her shifts would be almost unbearable now.

Kristi left the morgue, feeling the customary chill that she always got when she visited it. She went to the ward where she knew Dr. Gage would be working. Many of the crash victims from yesterday had been put here, and Kristi was surprised to see Wade Collins, from yesterday, there also. He was sitting beside a pretty young woman whose leg had been broken from the derailment. Wade laughed and the woman blushed and smiled. Kristi looked away, not wanting to intrude on their moment.

Dr. Gage was at the end of the room, checking on a man with a bandage around his head. Kristi waited until he was through before approaching.

"Good morning, Uncle," she greeted him quietly, placing a kiss on his cheek.

He returned the greeting, but Kristi could see the concern in his eyes. "You've been to see Mr. Radley?" he questioned.

Kristi nodded. "I am sorry my dear," he told her, his eyes sad.